STPSO: Beware of current telephone scam — Caller pretending to be Sheriff’s deputy

EditorJune 3, 2017Comments Off on STPSO: Beware of current telephone scam — Caller pretending to be Sheriff’s deputy

COVINGTON — The St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office stated it has received several complaints from citizens saying they have gotten a call from a man pretending to be a sheriff’s deputy, and that he is trying to scam them out of money.
The caller has stated his name is LT. Mark Stringer and the phone number the person is calling from is 985-318-0084, the Sheriff’s Office stated. The fake deputy is telling people they missed jury duty and have an attachment out for their arrest.
This person then instructs the “victim” to get three, $500 MoneyPak/Green Dot/Prepaid cards, go to a kiosk at the Sheriff’s Office to pay their attachment, then convinces the person the kiosk isn’t working and to give them the prepaid card numbers over the phone. This victim is now out $1,500 dollars, the Sheriff’s Office reported.

Anyone with information about who is behind the scam is asked to send the STPSO a crime tip through its website or on Facebook, asked to call the sheriff’s office, or asked to call Crimestoppers at 504-822-1111.